plate no. 7237

The Street of Blood, Delhi

oilImpressionismcityscapecityscapestreetbuildingsfigurestreesmarket

recreation guide

Marianne North’s *The Street of Blood, Delhi* (1880) is a cityscape executed in oil, reflecting her background as a botanical artist who traveled extensively to document flora and landscapes. While the provided sources do not describe the specific visual details of this particular painting (such as the exact layout of the street or specific figures), they establish North’s practice of painting from life and her dedication to capturing the 'flora of distant countries' (Source 4). The artwork belongs to a period where oil painting techniques were transitioning, with some artists adhering to traditional glazing methods while others, influenced by emerging theories of color contrast, sought to capture the immediate modifications of light (Source 2). North’s work is characterized by a direct engagement with nature, aiming for a truthful representation rather than an idealized composition.

estimated time

20-30 hours over 5-7 sessions

materials

5 items

steps

6 in sequence

materials

item	purpose	modern equivalent
Oil paints (earth tones, ochres, umbers)	Primary pigments for underpainting and glazing, consistent with historical palettes described in Source 3.	Burnt Umber, Yellow Ochre, Raw Sienna
White Lead or Titanium White	For highlights and mixing, as white lead was a standard historical pigment (Source 3).	Titanium White (safer modern alternative)
Oil of Copavia or Linseed Oil	Medium for glazing and scumbling, as recommended by Sir Joshua Reynolds in Source 1.	Stand Oil or Linseed Oil
Canvas or Panel	Support for the oil painting.	Primed linen or cotton canvas
Varnish	For final glazing layers, as mentioned in Source 1.	Dammar Varnish

preparation

surface prep

The surface should be prepared with a ground that allows for glazing. While North’s specific preparation is not detailed in the sources, the traditional method described in Source 1 involves a dry grisaille (monochrome underpainting) before applying color. The ground should be neutral to allow the transparent glazes to interact with the underlying tones.

underdrawing

The sources do not specify North’s underdrawing technique for this cityscape. However, Source 7 notes that early masters used outline forms to hold pictures together, while later artists fused edges. Given North’s botanical precision, a light, accurate underdrawing is likely, but specific details are not in the text. Proceed with a light sketch to establish the composition of the street and buildings.

underpainting

Create a monochrome underpainting (grisaille) using black, ultramarine, and white, as suggested by Sir Joshua Reynolds in Source 1. This step involves 'mentally extracting the red and yellow colours' to establish the tonal structure of the scene (Source 1). This grisaille should be allowed to dry completely before proceeding.

color palette

Red Ochre

Natural ochre

General use in this artist's palette; earth tones are recommended in Source 3 for their fixedness and covering qualities.

Yellow Ochre

Natural ochre

General use in this artist's palette; essential for warm tones and glazing (Source 3).

Ultramarine

Ultramarine blue

Used in the grisaille underpainting for shadows and cool tones (Source 1).

White Lead

White lead

Highlights and mixing, as it was a standard pigment in the 19th century (Source 3).

Black

Ivory black or lamp black

Shadows and tonal depth in the grisaille (Source 1).

composition

The sources do not describe the specific composition of *The Street of Blood, Delhi*. Therefore, no specific compositional moves can be cited. Generally, North’s work focuses on the subject matter (flora/landscape) rather than complex compositional devices. The artist likely aimed for a clear, direct representation of the scene as seen, consistent with her botanical documentation style (Source 4).

step by step

underdrawing→underpainting→first pass→refining→finishing→varnishing

underdrawing

step 01
Sketch the basic forms of the street, buildings, and any figures or vegetation lightly on the prepared surface.
Tip — Keep lines light to avoid interfering with subsequent glazes.
Outline basis

underpainting

step 02
Apply a grisaille using black, ultramarine, and white with oil of copavia as a medium. Establish the light and shadow structure without using red or yellow tones.
Tip — Mentally extract red and yellow colors to focus on tonal values (Source 1).
Grisaille underpainting

first pass

step 03
Once the grisaille is dry, begin glazing with transparent coats of color, starting with yellow and red tones.
Tip — Apply thin, transparent layers to build up color intensity, similar to tinting an engraving (Source 1).
Glazing

refining

step 04
Use scumbling (semi-opaque painting) over darker grounds to create coldness or grey blooms, if needed for atmospheric effects.
Tip — Be aware that scumbling over dark grounds tends to produce cold tones (Source 1).
Scumbling

finishing

step 05
Adjust colors based on the law of simultaneous contrast, ensuring that adjacent colors do not distort each other’s appearance unintentionally.
Tip — Remember that colors appear different when placed next to their complements (Source 2).
Simultaneous contrast

varnishing

step 06
Apply a final varnish mixed with oil if necessary, to unify the glazes and protect the painting.
Tip — Ensure the painting is completely dry before varnishing.
Varnishing

critical techniques

Glazing

Applying transparent coats of color over a dry underpainting to build depth and luminosity. This was a common practice among old masters and is recommended for achieving rich tones (Source 1).

Scumbling

Using semi-opaque paint over a darker ground to create coldness or grey effects. This technique allows the underlying painting to show through (Source 1).

Simultaneous Contrast

Considering how adjacent colors affect each other’s perception. This is crucial for accurately representing the modifications of light and color in the scene (Source 2).

common pitfalls

→Applying glazes before the underpainting is completely dry, which can lead to muddiness.
→Ignoring the law of simultaneous contrast, resulting in colors that appear distorted or inaccurate due to adjacent hues (Source 2).
→Over-modeling or becoming too tied to the outline, which can detract from the overall visual effect (Source 5).
→Using colors that are not substantial or fixed, leading to chemical reactions or fading over time (Source 3).

what the sources don't tell us

Where the corpus is silent, we say so rather than guess. These are the gaps a complete recreation guide would normally cover that our source passages don't.

·Specific visual details of *The Street of Blood, Delhi* (e.g., exact layout, figures, vegetation) are not described in the sources.
·Marianne North’s specific palette choices for this painting are not detailed; the guide relies on general 19th-century practices and her botanical focus.
·The exact medium North used for this specific work is not stated, though oil is confirmed.

grounded in

The technical procedure in this guide traces to the following classical art-instruction texts.

The Practice of Oil Painting↗
- COLOURING A MONOCHROME — applied to Underpainting, glazing, and scumbling techniques
- ON COPYING — applied to General advice on craftsmanship and avoiding over-modeling
Laws of Contrast of Colour↗
- 315-318 — applied to Color harmony and simultaneous contrast
The Science of Painting↗
- CHAPTER V. COLOURING SUBSTANCES — applied to Palette selection and pigment stability